


Run

by Aldyth



Series: The Grind with Tom [1]
Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, Sexual Content, life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 08:11:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3127373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aldyth/pseuds/Aldyth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She meets Tom ("Him/He"). This is the start of their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. She was running

**Author's Note:**

> This is the story that starts "The Grind with Tom" series. It was based on the Snow Patrol song "Run", I do not own the lyrics and there are some times when they just repeat out of order. There are scenes of a sexual nature, so if this makes you uncomfortable, please turn around and go. I challenged myself with this one in which there are no names, but it was very much written about Mr. Hiddleston. As I started writing the one shots after this one, it became harder not to use a name. I am also not sure about posting the work, but here we go.
> 
> One thing to keep in mind with the story is that the verses denote the present, and the chorus stanzas will be in the past.

I’ll sing it one last time for you  
Then we really have to go  
You’ve been the only thing that’s right  
In all I’ve done

She was running. It was late at night, but she was focused on the fleeting asphalt beneath her feet. The street lamps cast shadows around her like the tentacles of an octopus, spinning in circles around her mobile body. If you tried to speak to her, she would not have stopped, so focused on what she was racing towards. The only thought that ran through her mind was having to get to him before he left. Normally, she may have taken transit, but she didn’t want to leave anything to chance. It was his last night in town, and during the past 3 months it had been everything out of a dream, and not a moment of regret passed between her and him. She just had to get to him.  
  
She stood on the street looking up the darkened windows, the lit ones passing like winking eyes, she searched for the one window, her face shining with hope and with exertion of making sure she arrived in time. There it was, like a beacon, her eyes sharply focused on that lit square, a small smile played upon her features when there was movement at the window. Moments passed, and she was afraid that it would be forever until two long arms encircled her waist and lifted her closer. She turned towards the other body, urgent mouths crushed against each other. It was his last night and neither knew when they would be together again.

They were sitting at a nearby park, the silence wrapped around the two, the moon was barely a sickle crescent, the lights of nearby buildings casting squares of light upon the ground. Neither of them wanted to break the silence and just held onto each other. She couldn’t look at his face, she felt ashamed of the tears streaming down her face. He was leaving, she couldn’t stop it, nor could she follow him. She had her own life, they probably should not have even started what this was.


	2. The Accident

Light up, light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I’ll be right beside you, dear  
Louder, louder  
And we’ll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak, I understand  
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

They met by an accident of sorts. He was in town for only a few months filming, this was her hometown though. She travelled along the streets, most of the time not paying attention, but staying in her own little world. However, they crossed paths in the entrance of a coffee shop, he was on his way in, and she coming out having treated herself to a caffeine pick me up. They were not paying attention and ran into each other, both getting drenched by the hot latte. Embarrassed, he offered to get her another one, and she smiled saying thank you, accepted the offer.  
  
They spoke for hours, he had mentioned he was on break, after finding out that she had recognized him. The blush that crept along her cheek and the sparkle in her eye showed more than she had meant to. It hadn’t escaped his notice at all. He was charming and she was definitely charmed. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and walking around. He asked her about certain sites that caught his eye and she responded. As the sun started to fade and the city shadows grew longer, and they knew that their time was up.  
When she got home, she received some raised eyebrows . Her roommates questioned about her lateness and the state of her clothes. She could only smile at them and tried to remain calm as she explained to her roommates what happened. There were sounds of impatience and disbelief that filled the room until they all heard her phone ring. It wasn’t her normal ring, and when she picked up her phone she laughed. She showed the screen to her roommates, whose jaws all collectively went slack.  
  
She swiped to pick up the call and as soon as she heard his voice, a wave of comfort hit her. He apologized for being sneaky and getting his number onto her phone while she had been away briefly from it. He could hear the smile on her face as she responded that no harm was done, yet. They started at the same time and him being the gentleman told her to go first. When she had seen the looks on her roommates' faces she advised him that it would be better if he went first until she could find a more private room. There was a chuckle and he explained that he was so happy to have met her, that due to his work, while he made friends on set, he never got to know someone locally.

“Well, then, it was a good thing that neither of us paid attention and spilled my drink all over each other.” After a short pause, “actually I had a good time today, usually it's just me and my headphones when I walk.”

“I was wondering, I have half a day of filming tomorrow, which is rare, did you want to meet me at the set and we can spend the rest of the day talking again, or what ever you would like to do?”

Her voice caught in her throat. She had to pinch herself just to make sure she wasn't actually dreaming. She barely breathed out a “yes” but she couldn't deny the joy that she heard in his voice when he told her where to meet and what time he should be finished. They said good bye and she could only stare at her phone. When she came back into her body, she came back out to join her roommates. They fired questions so quickly at her that she could barely make out one of them. She just smiled at them, part of her wanted to spill everything, another part wanted to keep this all to herself.


	3. Reminiscent

And I can barely look at you  
But every single time I do  
I know we’ll make it anywhere  
Away from here

“What are you thinking about, darling?”

She looked up into the face that for three months she had worked so hard to get to know. She smiled sadly that their time was at an end. His hand reached and smoothed her hair, fingers tracing their way along her jaw, down her neck, along her clavicle, then down her back drawing her closer. His mouth covered her's, and in that kiss, they tried to show their feelings in it. Upon breaking apart, she gave a slow smile and whispered that he didn't know what he did to her.

He was pretty sure he did know, hopefully it was a fraction of what he felt when she kissed him. He didn't want to waste another minute reminiscing their time for the past three months, he would rather make new memories. So he grabbed her hand and walked along the park path. She was a willing companion, following him where he would lead. They came to a stop in front of an out of the way pub. Chatter leaked out the open door. The warmth of the lights called them inside. After a hurried conversation with the staff, they were led to a slightly quieter section of the room.

In the shadows, they watched the other patrons, and sipped their beers. He enjoyed the fact that she liked a good beer, that she wasn't afraid to eat food that she enjoyed. It had been surprising the first time she ordered a burger and fries, not even blinking. She was definitely different than other women he had known. It was over time that he learned that while she enjoyed burgers, she also enjoyed all food and usually went with what she was craving.

They were joined by her friends and his friends. Overall everyone was laughing and having a good time, but when there was a lull or a quiet moment, there was an underlying feeling of sadness.


	4. Meet up

Light up, light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I’ll be right beside you, dear  
Louder, louder  
And we’ll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak, I understand  
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

She stood just outside the throngs of people that had gathered at the set, part of her was second guessing her decision to do this. What was to stop her from being one of the crowd? She almost turned back, but her feet had other plans. She skirted around the crowd and caught the eye of a guy in a security uniform, she mentioned who she was here for, and he asked her name. There was a collective boo when the crowd saw that she was being let through, but she nor the security personnel paid mind to that. She was pointed to a person carrying a walkie who came up to her, shaking her hand, saying that she was expected.

They walked towards another part of the grounds where they could no longer see the crowds. There were trailers everywhere and people passing by, some giving curious glances towards the new face. They stopped at one trailer and just before climbing the steps to knock, out came the person that she came to see. The face was familiar, but because he was in his outfit for the movie everything else was different, his hair was darker, he was wearing period clothing. But the smile on his face when he saw her was the same as yesterday's. He told her that they just had to some last scenes for today and then he was all her's. The statement caused a blush to creep along his face when he realized the actual words were said. She smiled and said that she would wait there for him. He bounced up the steps and opened the door, ushering her inside. She brushed past him, and a smile hitched his face. A scent of candy floss wafted past him, which seemed a suitable aroma for her.

He apologized and left her to make herself comfortable. She found a chair and relaxed into it bringing out her phone. She had gone onto Twitter and had noticed that a picture of her walking onto the set with a lot of wild speculation about who she was. Most had brushed it off as probably some extra being called in. Part of her wanted to feed into that frenzy, but since she was not sure what any of this really was, she just continued to read. Three hours passed when the door opened again, and she saw his head poke through the doorway, he was out of his costume and in the jacket and slacks. She greeted him with a smile and a wry comment about his clothes. He chuckled in his distinctive way.

He asked if she was ready and she nodded. As they were leaving the trailer, she wondered what rumours would start when they walked off together. She did not want to be part of any rumours so she started to slow down, letting him outstrip her. Her plan seemed to work, as screams met her ears. She smiled as the crowd pressed in around him, he never looked startled and took pictures and signed the various objects that were thrust upon him. Again she skirted around the crowd, no one paid her any mind now that their objective for being there had arrived, she didn't go far from where he was and would have been able to see her. She found a tree to lean against as she continued to watch the scene before her.

She could hear him apologize to the crowd saying that he had to go then, and somehow extricated himself from further selfies and found her at her watch with a mischievous grin on her face. He smiled sheepishly in return and waited for her to make a comment. She could not disappoint:

“So do you do this all the time? Invite young women to watch you cause a mass swoon?”

The blush in return did not diminish and in fact spread across his cheeks and down his neck.

“My, that's a fetching colour.”

They turned away from the set and walked towards the road. They started talking about what she did for a living, and what she wished she could do. He enjoyed hearing about her dreams. About the people in her life. She would try to turn the questions on his, but he remained evasive.

“Why do you do that?”

He looked startled, “do what?”

“Every time I try to turn the questions towards you, your responses neatly side step.”

An embarrassed look “I didn’t know I did that,” His blue eyes revealed threads of grey and green. She chuckled.

It turned out, once she pointed it out, he made an effort to talk about himself. He talked about his family, and his friends back home. They managed to have an animated conversation, until her phone gave a distinctive ding for a text message. She looked apologetic and glanced at the message.

‘Hey, you might want to check this out, it kind of blew up the internet today.’

She followed the link and it went to a gossip magazine’s page and on it was a photo of her companion walking away with her and a blazing enquiring headline asking who she was. She had groaned, causing him to ask her what was wrong. She showed him, and he just shrugged, knowing that it came with the territory. She apologized, she did not want to cause any inconvenience to him. He looked confused by her words. When he understood, he laughed, and asked her if she thought he cared what was printed about him. She felt slightly better and they continued to have a pleasant afternoon talking about each other, and in general getting to know one another.


	5. Reverie

To think I might not see those eyes  
Makes it so hard not to cry  
And as we say our long goodbyes  
I nearly do

They made their way back to where he was staying, they stood facing each other, neither wanted to say the words. It was too painful to say goodbye. Instead he grabbed her hand and brought her inside, they remained silent through the elevator ride. Their fingers linked, trying to take in as much, committed to memory that which seemed familiar yet strange. They got to his room and once the door was shut again, the distance closed between them. Their hands in urgency sought out every facet of each other. His hands skimmed her hair and along her jawbone. Down her neck and across her shoulders. Her hands grasped at his shirt and flattened along the planes of his torso. She could feel the different muscles contract and move beneath her palms.

There was the taste of salt upon her lips, his fingers brushed along her cheeks and came away wet. She was crying, and he did not need to ask why, he knew. All he could do was pour all of him into his kiss. He began pushing her further into the room, until her legs came up against the edge of the bed. They paused shortly for her to climb on top of the bed and then resumed their fervent activity. He leaned over her and she made room for him so that he was on top of her. His weight pressed into her and she could feel every part of him along her length. They slowed down and were less urgent lying together. His hands began drifting along her curves, until they rested along the cup of her breast.

She gasped into their kiss as if his touch shocked her through to the core, but rather being uncomfortable or painful, it shot her body towards him. He slid his arms around her, and rolled on his back, her hair cascaded around their faces. His hands pushed her hair back looking into her eyes, she gave a small smile, a flash of green through grey eyes. With silent permission, he found her waist and snaked his hands, fingers brushing against the soft flesh of her stomach. Her shirt riding along his arms, until it found its way to her shoulders. She sat up to throw off the shirt, looking down she could see his eyes glitter, the black of his eyes shone with desire.

His hands brushed against the skin along her abdomen, his fingers splayed as if he was trying to touch every part of her. Where his skin met her's sent an electrical current through her spine. Her hands found the top button of his shirt and slowly began unbuttoning while planting kisses along his torso. With his shirt open, he sat up, the sinews of muscle rippled with the movement, but the marvel was lost when his lips found hers and she was drawn back to their previous activity. Her tears long forgotten in that moment. He shed her skirt, she fiddled with the button of his pants finally loosening then climbing off his lap so that the may be removed. Their hands explored their bodies, as if it was the first time they saw each other.

With anticipated movements they moved together in a fluid motion they both moaned into and managed to pause for a moment. Revelling in the feeling of each other. When they moved again, it only served to intensify that feeling, their bodies rocking and thrusting into each other. As the feeling came to a crescendo, the movement quickened, their kisses delving more deeply into one another, trying to taste the other. The feeling of release was met by a cry from her, followed closely by him as they came almost simultaneously.

Her body collapsed on top of his, both of their breathes coming heavily. She could feel his heart beat in time with hers. It was a lovely discovery the first time she noticed that happened. His hands brushed her hair back from her face, she did not have to look up to know that he was watching her. Her soft white skin glowed pale in the dim light of the room, his arms seemed to be a shadow against her paleness.

“Could this moment just freeze?”


	6. Morning Coffee

Light up, light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I’ll be right beside you, dear  
Louder, louder  
And we’ll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak, I understand  
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

It had only been 24 hours since she had seen him, he had a film day outside of the city and while he promised to call, he could not say when. It must have been early morning when she was woken up by her phone buzzing near her head. The sky was just starting to lighten to a pale grey which was matched by her own bleary eyes.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” The voice she had come to recognize in the past weeks asked, nervous that this may not have been the best moment.

She smiled and assured him that it was okay. Asking how his day went, her voice trying to shake the signs that she had been asleep.

“It was good, do you know how nice it is to hear your voice though? All sleepy and gravely like that.”

“I never understood why having a gravely voice is such a turn on for guys? Is it really that good of a sound?”

A chuckle escaped his lips and carried over the line, “maybe it's the intimacy of the sound, as if you should only sound husky towards someone you are close to.”

“It is far too early for a logical answer.” She laughed at his response.

“I was wondering if you would join me for an early morning coffee.”

She smiled and told him to give her 15 minutes to roll out of bed. He agreed and privately wished that he was rolling out of bed with her. They had not crossed that line, but that desire was there. It cushioned between them every time they met or spoke to each other.

He waited for her on the street corner near her place, it was the best way to find her. She saw him first and had to stop at the sight of him. He seemed to be casually leaning against a nearby pole, and wearing a dark pull over sweater, and dark jeans, his back was turned towards him. Her hand drifted up to her hair, patting at the messy ponytail she had thrown her hair into just minutes ago. He looked so put together, even so early in the morning, she had thrown a glance at the clock on her way out and noticed that it was only 6:30 in the morning. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt hidden by a hooded fleece. He had turned just as she reached him and gave her a glorious smile. Her knees were in a great danger of giving out from under her.

“Hello, gorgeous!”

She returned his smile, “I highly doubt that praise, but I'll take what I can get this early in the morning.” Without warning his arms wrapped around her, she noticed that he was slowly losing the muscle that he had gained from his last project, but he still felt firm. Once the surprise passed, her body relaxed into it and her own arms wrapped around his waist. She inhaled his scent which reminded her of old spice and spring air. When he released her, she looked up and could see his pupils we dilated, the blue was just a small ring hugging the centre. The breath she took was rattled, and it felt like her heart was in the throat.

The moment passed and he turned toward the street heading for the coffee shop that they had first met. He turned to her and asked if they could take their drinks outside to a nearby park rather than sit inside. It was turning into a bright and sunny day, the sun was just over the horizon, a brief moment of warmth in the early spring morning. As they left with their drinks, they skipped sitting on the benches, instead aimed for a large tree on the edge of a grass field. With their backs settled against the trunk they started sipping at their drinks. The birds were starting to sing, and he noticed that her eyes were closed while she smiled.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Oh, on the off chance that I do ever get up this early, I like listening to the stillness. No traffic, no people being angry yet, just the birds, the sun, and the world still slumbering.”

He smiled and grabbed her free hand, his long fingers encircling her slight hand. She still hadn't opened her eyes, but she struggled to keep from smiling more. His warmth mingled with her own and she could feel a shiver start from the pit of her stomach. He watched as the world began to wake up, in the stillness, joined at the hands, she stole a glimpse. She took in his profile, his long nose with just bump on the bridge, the smattering of freckles that spread along his face. His lips were thin, with just a hint of coral showing, but it was his cheekbones that seemed to bring his face together. Combined with his long limbs and lean frame, he was almost just edges and points, but they suited him well. She was such a contrast with her roundness, all curves and softness, not tall, but not short. It suited her as well, as if every piece fit together.

“So, what is this?” She asked glancing at their hands, her's within his.

She was met by a blast of his blue eyes, which in the morning light were bright and piercing. She could only blink her own grey eyes, waiting for a response. None came.

“I mean, this is nice, I love hanging out, but I don't know what to expect and it's frightening.”

He smiled, with just a hint of mischief. “Isn't that half the fun in life? Not knowing what is to come?”

She gave a non-committal shrug. He laughed, and just continued looking at her eyes that reminded him of a stormy sea. He raised her hand and planted a kiss on the palm, smiling when he heard her gasp. Her eyes melted from grey to a greener shade, her lower lip kneaded by her teeth. A shudder passed through her body. He leaned towards her, pulled her arm gently so that she could just follow, and then kissed her on the cheek. He inhaled her scent and noticed a floral scent, loose reddish-gold tendrils that had escaped from her ponytail tickled against his cheek. 

She was too shocked to react. As the realization of his closeness settled, and the scent of spice and the spring air filled her sense; her hand reached out to his face and tentative fingers traced along the planes of his face. Her pale eyes met his, she could make out the grey and green in his blue. She leaned further in closing the gap, and while their lips were barely touching, she paused. Rather than wait any longer, he closed that millimetre of space sharing a kiss. The feeling of his lips against hers surprised her, the shiver she felt after he had kissed her palm, and cheek had spread through out her chest, giving way to fluttering, as if there were butterflies caged within her. 

They drew apart, and the feeling came up in a slight giggle, then turned into a full blown laugh. Her soprano sound was mingled with his baritone voice. In the morning air, the sound rose up into the air and seemed to bounce off the trees and mingle with the birds' songs. He leaned back against the trunk and she relaxed to her original position.

“Well that was unexpected.”


	7. Shakespeare

Slower, slower  
We don't have time for that  
All I want is to find an easier way  
To get out of our little heads

Throughout the night, they talked and made love. They spoke of their futures, and their past. Anything that was beyond the moment that they would have to part. Eventually they fell asleep, their limbs intertwined, their scents mingling together so that they could not tell who smelled of flowers and who of spice. It wasn't until the sky began to lighten and the birds began to sing. She groaned and cursed their cheerful sound. She moved closer to his torso, wanting to hang on just a little while longer. He stirred and glanced at the window and began to rise. She wrapped her arm around him a little tighter. The rumble of his laughter and a quick kiss to the top of her head. 

“It's time wake, Dear.”

After a groan, a sleepy eye glared at him, this morning the colour was a sea green framed by pale lashes. “Just a little longer. It's still the middle of the night!”

_“It was the lark, the herald of the morn,_  
No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks  
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.  
Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day  
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.  
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.” 

His fingers brushed the stray hair that obscured her face. 

“Why must you quote Shakespeare so early in the morning?” 

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head again, taking in the feeling of her body next to his. When she tried to sit up, his arms tightened around her waist. 

“Hey I thought we were supposed to be getting up.” 

“I said wake up, I didn't say get up. I just want to hold you for as long as I can.” 

“Hmmm, it's too bad that you have to leave today. You never got to hear me sing.” 

“I could make you sing now.” A note of mischief crept into his voice as his hands travelled lower down her back, trailing lightly, causing her to shiver. 

“That's not the same thing!” She exclaimed with a grin on her face. He matched her grin and sighed in return. 

“One day, darling, I promise.” 

“Ha, then I'll be in front of thousands.” 

“That I don't doubt. Your music has already bewitched me.” 

She laughed at his poetic manner, and pushed against him, allowing her to view him more fully. She thought back on the last 3 months and would not trade them in for anything. She knew that the first chance she got, she would try to see him. She told him that, he smiled, and said he could not wait. She got up and stretched her limbs and headed to the bathroom. As she was coming out, she heard her phone buzz from her purse that had dropped without a thought. She had fished it out she saw that he had texted her asking her when. 

She looked at him and thought about it, how long could she wait, she still had work, and her singing training until June. She then said maybe July, that would be the only time she get time off at the earliest. He nodded and gave the number that he could be reached at while at his home. He explained that he used different numbers depending on where he was at that time. She smiled furtively and started to come back towards the bed, he put up his hand asking her to pause, right where she was. Confused, she crossed her arms in front of her body, feeling slightly exposed before him. She was uncomfortable within her own skin and afraid to let down her guard about her insecurities. 

He read her emotions on her face and sat the edge of the bed, holding out his arms to her. She moved towards him and his long arms wrapped around her waist and drew her closer to him. 

“You are a sight to behold, darling.” Her own arms rested on his shoulders. 

“Likewise, sir.” She smiled as his hands grazed along the milky white skin skimming her behind, and up her back, along her spine. It was as if each vertebrae were a key on the piano, and the blood was singing an aria in reply. She sighed and found his lips with her own. Her tongue languidly explored his mouth, and he returned the favour. She moaned and her body pressed forward, he moved from her mouth and down her neck. He made a slow progress downwards until he was where her breasts were. His mouth moved along the right, catching her nipple in his mouth and suckled, flicked at the nub. She gasped and moaned, her fingers tangling into the gold curls of his hair. He leaned back towards the bed and she tumbled afterwards. 


	8. The Firsts

Light up, light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I’ll be right beside you, dear  
Louder, louder  
And we’ll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak, I understand  
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

They watched the sun rise, in the quiet of the morning. They were sitting by the lake, watching the light make it's way from the left. It was another early morning, but she was learning to look forward to them. They were usually alone, there was no worry about crowds of people clamouring for attention. It was just the two of them. She leaned towards him and savoured the feel of his torso, letting the feeling surround her. 

“What do you like to do for fun?” He enquired, taking the her sun glinting off showing a rainbow that seemed to grow out of her head. She lifted her face, her eyes a blue green, her bottom lip caught between her teeth, and her brow furrowed as if thinking about the question. Part of him wanted to plant kisses on the smooth surface of her cheek. 

A slight blush tinged her cheek, as she mumbled incoherently. He bent his head to get a better grasp of what she was saying. 

“I'm sorry, dear, what was that?”

A little more coherently, but barely above a whisper she said “I like to sing.”

After a little prodding, he found out that she actually sings classical pieces and deep down wanted to be an opera singer. After a few prods on his part, he got her to sing a few notes. She kept her eyes on the water, as she sung a slow song in a language he didn't recognize, his eyes never leaving her face as the notes swelled like water lapping on the shore. He felt a longing to hold her even tighter and let her know that she didn't have to wait, he was right there. 

When she finished she looked at him, uncertainty written all over her features. He leaned in and kissed her, no preamble, just a deep kiss that made her gut lurch and she parted her lips ever so slightly in invitation. It was one that he took and lifted her so that she moved to his lap, now with her face above, she filled his vision and it was enough for once. 

For her it was all the comment she needed, she was starting to feel like she was falling, but it was okay. Her dreams weren't silly or unattainable. Here, she was with someone who enjoyed her for being her, and for her it was more than enough, it was all she wanted. She could feel his hands travelling up her back and the feeling caused her to pause, catching her bottom lip between her teeth and inhale deeply. 

He took his moment, “has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are, not just for your voice, but truly, stunning.”

The uncertainty came back to her face, unsure of how to respond. Then the corner of her mouth hitched in what one could only call mischievous, she responded, “well now they have, but I am going to trust your judgement, because have you looked in a mirror lately?” With a wink, she gave a peck on his cheek. 

“What are your plans tonight?”

She shrugged, her roommates all had plans with their respective parties, she was invited to a couple, but she thought to just keep the apartment to herself for the night. In turn he invited her out to dinner, just the two of them. She smiled sheepishly, but agreed readily.

...................

He hadn't told her where they were going, so she went with a simple black jersey skirt, it was comfortable but nice enough that it wouldn't get her kicked out of places. She wore a midnight blue cowl necked top that hung just at the corner of her shoulders. She loved that top, as it made her feel that her features were best shown, her reddish-gold hair was in a low ponytail and just minimal make up played up her facial features. Her phone buzzed with his photo showing the screen. She had never changed it from the time he left his number on her phone. She smiled as she answered saying that she would be right out.

She stepped out into the cool evening with an overcoat pulled tight across her waist. He smiled at the sight of her. The nerves he felt fluttered as she neared him, as if responding to her presence at a hum. He proffered his arm, which she smiled and hooked her's through, and led her to a waiting cab. It was a short trip to a restaurant that she had never been to, mostly because she knew she could not afford it. He had mentioned that he had been here before, one of the times that he had been to the city before the project he was currently on, saying that the food was really good. 

She figured the fact that it was filled with people, but no one looked up or took notice of them, was another selling point of the location. They were led to a table near the back and single page menus which made her feel more nervous than every. When the wait staff came by, he ordered a bottle of red wine, without even batting a lash. She nearly choked when she saw the prices of the dishes, or lack thereof. At once she felt conscious about how she was dressed and who she was with. Her hand drifted to her hair, hoping that it was not frizzing out like it normally did. 

He noticed her hand patting her hair, and then took in that she started fidgeting more, she seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden.

“Is there something wrong darling?”

She looked up and her lip twitched involuntarily, “well, not really, I mean, I think I might be a tad under dressed, and well, it is a little fancy here.” The words just spilled out of her mouth before she realized what she had actually said. Her eyes widened, and for once he noticed that they were blue. He could not help but chuckled with mirth, she looked adorable when she was in a panic. 

“Don't worry, I've got this.” She returned a small smile and went back to scanning the the card in front of her. She decided that she would just settle on a simple pasta dish. When the wait staff came back, she told her what she wanted, and he ordered the roast.

With the menus out of the way, they fell into an easy conversation. She talked about her job, and the people that she has to deal with, and he talked about his favourite stories from his different projects. They laughed, and then the food eventually came, she laughed because it turned out her dish was just Spaghetti, but was given a fancy Italian name. He laughed with her when she explained why it was so funny. That was when others in the restaurant had started to take notice. Apparently, laughing in a fancy restaurant was frowned upon. They continued to enjoy their dinner, but she suggested skipping the restaurant's dessert. She wanted to take him somewhere she knew had the best desserts any where.

He paid the bill and escorted her out the door, she could feel the air had gotten heavier, but it wasn't raining yet. She took stock of their location, and realized that they were not far, she led him for about a block away and opened the door to a small bakery, the smell of pastry and coffee overcame her with familiarity. She came up to the counter where the girl behind recognized her. She ordered two cupcakes, half a dozen macarons in her favourite flavours and two lattes. She knew she was going to be buzzing and may not sleep any ways, as well it would give her something to do. He had grabbed a table near the window, noticed that it was getting darker and darker, and then the first drop hit the ground, quickly followed by the rest. It was as if the sky just opened up.

She joined him with their desserts, and they sat watching the weather just come down in the cozy warmth of the bakery. The girl brought their drinks, and they sipped in silence while snacking on their cupcakes. About an hour later, the girl came by and told them that the bakery was closing. The weather had not let up much, and the rain was still torrential. They huddled under an eave nearby. She glanced up at his face and together they chuckled. He looked out to where the rain was falling, with no sign of letting up, and then at his companion.

“Look, I am not staying far from here, you can come by and wait in warmth for the weather to let up.”

Again the uncertainty masked her face, as a sign of not being sure, her lower lip found its way between her teeth. Surprising was the fact that he found her lips soft and full. She gave a small nod of consent, it was not as if anything had to happen. A mischievous grin lit his face, and he grabbed her hand and made a run into the rain. She shrieked and laughed, enjoying the childish act of running through the rain.

They both ended up being soaked by the time they made it to the hotel he was staying at. They walked through the lobby towards the elevators, and he pressed the up button. They only garnered a few cursory glances from the desk staff, but their job has always been discretion when it comes to their guests, no matter who they were. Once inside the elevator car, they looked at each other, and broke into laughter.

“I look like a drowned rat.” She looked sheepishly up at him.

“I don't look much better. We may need to dry off darling.” Her face felt flushed, as if she was under a heat lamp, but just on her face. “Don't worry, I have a pair of trousers and a t-shirt you can borrow while your clothes dry.”

She smirked as she took in his tall thin figure. “Are you sure they'll get over my hips?” 

“Okay whey I say trousers, they've got an elastic waist so they can handle your curves.”

She was back to laughing at the silliness of their conversation. The elevator opened to the floor and he escorted her out into the hallway and led her towards his door. He fished his key card out of his wallet. The door opened and the darkness that spread from that point, she became even more nervous.  
“Come on darling, let's get you out of those wet things.”

She blushed but took a tentative step forward, and he followed quickly, flicking the lights on while the door shut behind them. There was such a heavy feeling when the door clicked shut that she suddenly felt slightly trapped. When she turned, though, and looked at him, his own eyes uncertain, an innocent shade of blue, she smiled and commented on the room. He strode past her, a brief squeeze of her shoulder as he went to grab a dry set of clothes. After handing her the t-shirt and track pants, he pointed where the washroom was, saying there were extra towels too if she wanted to dry her hair.

Thanking him, took the proffered clothing and closed the door to the bathroom behind her. She pealed the wet shirt and skirt from her skin and wrung out the excess water and hung them on the shower rod. Slipped the track pants on and pulled the t-shirt over her head. It was a little tight and the t-shirt stretched across her chest, causing the hem to lift slightly off her waist. She cracked the door open, grabbing a towel, to hear that the television was on and all the lights lit the room to make it look welcoming. She smiled at the figure sitting on the edge of the bed with the remote in his hand. It did not go unnoticed that he licked his lips before returning her smile. 

He would admit that seeing her in his clothes was very attractive. She made her way to the couch that was in the salon and tucked her feet beneath her as she sat. He watched her movement, and then got up to join her. When he sat down, she could feel his nearness and the heat radiated through her borrowed clothes. She ran the towel through her hair, trying to dry it as much as she could. She paused when she felt his hand upon her back, the warmth that she felt from his nearness spread through her stomach and flutter up to her chest. She wasn't sure how a simple touch could make her feel so weak. 

She sat up and his hand travelled to her waist and with a small pull, she found her in the crook of his arm. She looked up at him to make a smart remark, but the words were lost when his free hand pushed back a strand of her hair from her face. His fingertips brushed along the skin, which was cool to the touch, despite the rosy blush on her face. His pupils had dilated nearly engulfing the blue green of his irises. His head lowered until his lips met her's. Her body melted into his and her arm reached for his shoulder. This caused him to slip until his body pressed on top of her. He swung her legs so that she was laying across the couch and he knelt over her. Her hands travelled along his torso, she could feel the tautness of his muscles. His mouth travelled from her lips along her jaw, until they found their way to the crease between her jaw and ear. She arched into him and just melting into the feeling of his lips. 

His hands travelled along her torso until his fingers brushed along the skin of her abdomen and waist. Her breath hitched, and she looked into his eyes, trying to figure out her feelings. It was as if their eyes were mirror images, mixture of desire and uncertainty. 

“We don't have to do anything, darling.”

With a groan of frustration, she whispered that she wasn't sure. He chuckled and his fingers circled along the skin, revelling in the softness of the skin there. Her hands just started roaming along his back. Her lips pouted in thought. As her hands travelled lower, skimming his hips, he pressed into her and that was when she could feel his arousal. With a smirk, her hands found the waist band of his jeans, fingertips brushed against his skin and he in turn groaned.

“I wish I could show you what seeing you, and feeling you against me does to me.”

She smiled, and with a hint of mischief stated “Oh, I think I have a very good idea.” Her hands moved towards his front and slipped below his waistband. His breath hitched and she whispered, “oh fuck it!” 

Her hand brushed along his erection and his mouth returned to her lips. The kisses were a mix of gentle and urgent. As if he was not sure which feeling over came him more. Her hands fiddled with the fly of his pants, and he felt the loosening of the fabric. His hands found their way back to the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing and pushed it up, exposing her breasts, his finger flicked at the sensitive nipples and she moaned into his mouth. He moved his mouth towards one breast and began suckling and nipped at the sensitive flesh there. Her chest heaved as if to follow him. He moved to the second breast, loathe to leave one out. Her hands tangled in the curls of his hair, just losing herself in the feeling of his mouth on her body. His mouth moved further down, trailing kisses to the waistband of her borrowed track pants.

At the waist band and he looked up and noticed her look at him with desire that seemed to match his own. Her legs rose and opened up, allowing him to fit between, his member pressed upon her. All of a sudden he rose, and took her with him. He indicated that perhaps the bed would be comfortable. As they moved, he kept his hands on her hips and pushed the track pants down allowing them to fall to the floor as she walked. In turn he removed his own pants, allowing her to get a full glimpse of his erection as it stood at attention. The back of her legs hit the edge of the bed and he reached to lift her. Her legs circled his waist, allowing her to feel the head of him press upon the lips of her womanhood. 

The effect on her made her impatient, wanting to feel him inside of her. He laid her down on the bed and loosened her legs from around her, and kissed the inside of her thigh. He trailed the kisses until he hit the most sensitive flesh. She squirmed with anticipation, and he gave a quick kiss, followed quickly by his tongue lapping at the her labia. Her hips bucked to meet his mouth, and he placed his hands on her hips to keep her still. His tongue plunged into her depths and she bucked her hips in reaction. Between nips and licks, he continued to in this way until she could feel the wave of orgasm crash upon her. He lapped up the stream that was escaping her and continued to use his hands to draw circles along her hips. 

Her breathing slowed into a steady beat, as her body continued to convulse from that orgasm. He looked up at her and smiled with contentment. She returned the smile and he stretched up so that his body was flush.

“Don't get too sleepy darling, I am not yet done with you.”

“I should hope so, because I am not done with you.” She pulled him into a kiss, the musky taste of her still lingered on his lips. She still felt sensitive from her orgasm, but she wanted to give him a taste of what she could do for him. Her hands drifted down his torso, and skimmed his flesh around his hip, until her hands landed on his erection. Her fingers encircled his shaft and began stroking it. He growled into the kiss and he could feel her smile in return. With a small pressure, she pushed him onto his back, and it was her turn to trail kisses down his body, until she reached the trail of hair that ran from his navel down to his groin. She kissed the head of his shaft and heard him sigh with content. She just managed to glimpse his eyes widen as she took his member into her mouth. She took it until he hit the back of her mouth, her hands engulfing the rest of his length. Her mouth stretched as far, and she couldn't take any more, but her tongue swirled along the length, the feeling of which elicited a moan from his throat.

“Careful darling, not too much, I actually have a better plan for cumming.” His voice deep with lust. His fingers wrapping the tendrils of her hair around and guiding her, which only increased his sensitivity to her actions. A vibration along his shaft surprised him, until he saw the amusement light her eyes and realized that she was laughing.

When he had all he could handle without exploding in her mouth, he drew her face up, his dick making a satisfying popping sound as it removed itself from her mouth. He guided her face until it was level with his and kissed her mouth. A slight salty taste of precum was on her lips, which mingled with the taste of her. His hands drifted along her curves and skimmed the milky white skin of her buttocks. Her legs bent at the touch so that she was straddling him, his erection pressed up against her cervix, and without waiting she slid along his length allowing him to penetrate her. She inhaled sharply as he hit her wall with his length. With a slow rhythm, she began to move her pelvis up and down. He continued to kiss her, taking her mouth against his, and explored her with his tongue. The taste of their dessert giving a faint sweetness to her taste. His arms encircled her body and with a swift move, he had flipped their positions. She squealed at the sudden change and her legs wrapped around his waist as it was his turn to thrust into her. He picked up on the pace she had set, moving so far that his tip was barely in and then slamming back into her. Suddenly she would rise to meet him and rock back in synchronicity. Suddenly he moaned and continued to pound into her and she answered back with her own moan. It had been so long since she had slept with someone, she had almost forgotten how good it felt. At the climax, he stiffened and closed his eyes, she could feel him cum into her, his member twitched against her walls. The action caused her to cum again shortly after, the walls squeezing and vibrating against his member still locked in. 

He collapsed next to her and both of them were breathing hard with the effort to bring their heart rates down. She watched his chest rise and fall, his breath sounding right next to her, as she travelled up towards his face, she noticed that he was staring at her. His eyes ridiculously blue in the dimmed light, she felt nervous and self-conscious, she gave him a small smile, which he returned with a full grin. His hand reached out towards her face and traced the outline of it.

“Darling, do you know how amazing you are?” She searched his face, being at a lost for words. He laughed, he drew her towards him, place her hand upon his chest, over where his heart.

“I certainly was not expecting to find you, you're a muse, a goddess. If any of my mates were to ask me what this place was like, every description would be about you. You have bewitched me and I have no complaint about it.”

She still could not speak, she never would have expected to feel like this. However, to hear it come from him, it was almost too much. It didn't matter that he was only in town for a little while, she didn't want this to end.


	9. Goodbyes

Have heart, my dear  
We're bound to be afraid  
Even if it's just for a few days  
Making up for all this mess

They were at the airport and despite the crowds that had gathered when he was recognized. He was very accommodating and signed autographs. He took pictures with fans, and giving words of encouragement. Part of her knew that this would come with the man, but another part of her just wanted them to go away and keep him to herself. She kept to the outskirts, not to intrude on their moments. Every once in a while, his eyes sought her out, to which she would smile. Eventually, he got the crowd to disperse and the two of them made their way towards the gate. Security would not allow her to go past the check in, so when they reached the customs desk, they turned to each other.

“Call me” she said staring up at his face, she had to smile because he looked similar to a puppy. 

“As soon as I land, darling.” He reached down and kissed her deeply. The whole world just melted away. 

It was a long trip home from the airport, and she kept living over the last 3 months, the connection she made with him, she didn't want it to end, but he had to go, and she had to stay here. At least for now. When she got home, she decided she needed to go out again, her roommates didn't say word. They knew that she needed time to recover. What she had gone through was the stuff girls only dreamed about, but she lived it for 3 months. The sun was high, and it lit her path. She went back to the coffee shop that she first met him, but that time it seemed different, somewhat diminished. It was a sign that everything they had experienced, changed everything that she once knew.

It was near morning when her phone buzzed, the display lit by the photo he had left on her phone. Even across an ocean, he felt near when she picked up. He worried about waking her, and she was just happy to hear his voice. They talked about little things, but not how each of them missed the other. That maybe 3 months just wasn't long enough for them. They ended the conversation with the promise to talk soon and that they would see each other again. She smiled at the darkened phone, knowing he was not on the other end but that she could reach him. She opened the phone and took a photo of her lying in bed, added a quick text about how she wished he was there and sent it to him. 

They continued to talk and skype when the time allowed, they were poor substitutes for being in person, but it was nice to see and hear each other. However distracting maintaining contact was, she still had a life outside of them. It had only been a month apart, and he was preparing to go onto his next project after a brief holiday at home. The moments they spent speaking were heartwrenching for her. After spending so much time together, she just wanted to curl up with him. 

He had mentioned that with the start of this new project, he may not be able to talk as often, but he would try to let her know when they could. With that, he didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he asked her when her what was new. She had a recital coming up and she would tell him about the songs she was singing, and she spent hours rehearsing and going over the words in a different language. She told him when it was, that it was the last one before Summer and she didn't have to worry about anything until September. She had hoped that she could swing over sometime to see him. He hoped she was right.


	10. Surprise - Prologue

It was a sunny day, she was a bundle of nerves as she stared at her phone. She had been hoping for a last minute call from him, it was the day of her recital, and she was singing a very difficult song, she could have used the confidence boost. He hadn't called since he had taken off for the next project. She had left a message, and he had texted a short message, but that was all. She could only imagine how busy he was staying. She laid out her outfit, it was a dress that she loved, spring green and flared out at her hips. Her hair lightened to a golden blonde, she pulled her hair back with a pink tie. She took a last look at herself in the mirror before noticing the time. Because it was such a nice day out, she walked to the recital hall. The sun glinted off the tendrils of hair that escaped the tie.

She made it to the hall, she wasn't the only one to perform. The lyrics were bouncing around in her head, trying to put them in the right order, as each person filed in and filled the seats, she tried not to look around. A tap on her shoulder caused her to turn around and she saw her friends sitting in the row behind her. They gave her smiles and encouragement to her and she smiled in thanks, giving each one a quick hug. Soon everyone was quiet and the concert started. She was performing in the middle of the group and she listened to those who came before her and enjoyed the music. 

Then it was her turn, she got up and she was introduced with a few comments about her song. She heard the door to the hall open, but didn't look back to see if someone had come in. She was focused on the ground, trying not to trip. She was singing “Gretchen am Spinnrade”* and when she looked up, she notice a figure leaning against the wall near the door. Her breath caught briefly, she saw him, he was supposed to be thousands of miles away. Then the notes started, she only had two bars to breathe again, and start singing. This time, though, she looked straight at him and sang:

Meine Ruh' ist hin,  
Mein Herz ist schwer,  
Ich finde, Ich finde, sie nimmer  
Und nimmermehr.

Wo ich ihn nicht hab  
Ist mir das Grab,  
Die ganze Welt  
Ist mir vergällt.

Mein armer Kopf  
Ist mir verrückt,  
Mein armer Sinn  
Ist mir zerstückt.

Meine Ruh' ist hin,  
Mein Herz ist schwer,  
Ich finde sie nimmer  
Und nimmermehr.

Nach ihm nur schau ich  
Zum Fenster hinaus,  
Nach ihm nur geh ich  
Aus dem Haus.

Sein hoher Gang,  
Sein' edle Gestalt,  
Seine Mundes Lächeln,  
Seiner Augen Gewalt,

Und seiner Rede  
Zauberfluß,  
Sein Händedruck,  
Und ach, sein Kuß!

Meine Ruh' ist hin,  
Mein Herz ist schwer,  
Ich finde sie nimmer  
Und nimmermehr.

Mein Busen drängt sich  
Nach ihm hin.  
[Ach]1 dürft ich fassen  
Und halten ihn,

Und küssen ihn,  
So wie ich wollt,  
An seinen Küssen  
Vergehen sollt!  
An seinen Küssen  
Vergehen sollt!  
Meine Ruh' ist hin,  
Mein Herz ist schwer.

As the last notes drifted off into the hall, she barely noticed the crowd wiping tears from their eyes, because her eyes were locked on his. Her heart beat like a hammer in her chest. She walked towards him, it seemed to take forever. She did notice her friends' smirks, but didn't turn towards them. Then everyone else followed her progress, she ran the next few steps and jumped into his arms. In one motion, he swept her up and kissed her soundly on her mouth. With that, all the weeks of missing him seemed to melt. In that moment, everything was good and she would never give him up. Future be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are posted as they are written from an online source, which I then altered to include the repetitions that are sung. There may be some repetitions that I have missed, it is a very long song about 8 pages of staff. - SW


End file.
